Gigi Gartner is passionate about animal welfare. She started rescuing dogs 20 years ago and is now with her sixth rescue pet, Ginger, a German Shepherd that she found at Dallas Animal Services.
“There are so many animals in need of a home, and each dog has their own unique story of resilience. I know I’m making an impact when I rescue,” said Gigi. “I encourage everyone to consider adopting a dog from a shelter or rescue. By doing so, you’ll be making a difference for a deserving dog, and in return you’ll receive a lifetime of unconditional love, loyalty, and companionship. It’s a ripple effect of care and compassion.”
Gigi was first connected to CFT through her late mother, Louise (Tootsie) Gartner, who founded the Common Cents Fund at CFT. Gigi witnessed her giving back for as long as she can remember. “My mom was my best friend. We did everything together. Not only did I see her model philanthropy, I served as her helper to make it happen. I was highly involved with every step. I saw the love she put into giving back, it was so important to her. Now, I’m following in her footsteps, but filling them in my own way,” said Gigi.
Through a special North Texas Giving Day matching campaign during National Pet Month, Gigi joined forces with CFT to double donations to local nonprofits that support animals in North Texas. Donations were matched dollar for dollar up to $150,000.
“When CFT told me about this new opportunity, I said yes immediately. CFT is great at knowing what fits my priorities. They are supportive and make giving easy. I am so proud to have been part of this fabulous initiative,” said Gigi.
Ultimately, Gigi’s matching gift through her fund at CFT helped generate more than $555,000 from 1,784 community donations to local animal and pet nonprofits.
This effort was one of four new matching gift fundraising campaigns using the North Texas Giving Day website this year. “We wanted to try something new to raise additional funds for local nonprofits outside of the North Texas Giving Day season in September. These campaigns demonstrated the power of leveraging CFT and fundholder giving to raise more for our community,” said Wayne White, CFT’s president and CEO.
The campaigns would not have been possible without CFT’s fundholders and corporate partners, including Gigi Gartner, the Giana Foundation Fund at CFT and their support of arts and culture, Charles Schwab Bank and their support of economic security, and the Ramesh and Kalpana Bhatia Family Foundation and their support of mental health.
$1.5 million was raised in total for local nonprofits through this new effort, with each campaign exceeding matching goals within a matter of days and even hours.
This new series helped kickstart a record-breaking North Texas Giving Day 2024, which generated more than $70 million for 3,200 nonprofits in September, bringing the total impact to $635 million over the past 16 years.
“Animal welfare holds a significant place in my heart. Through this effort, we raised awareness and inspired others to support organizations that are helping animals and pets transform lives and make a larger impact across our community.” – Gigi Gartner
Learn more about North Texas Giving Day
This story was originally featured in our 2024 annual report. For additional details and content, click here.
